Experience Book
Category >> B Classification and Visa

This Visa is issued to aliens who are intending to visit the United Stated for pleasure (B-1 visa) or for business (B-2 visa). Stays in the United States in this category are brief and involve activities such as touring, visiting family members, obtaining health care, or conducting business on behalf of an overseas employer.
 
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1) Comments: Detailed Visa Appointment Procedure - Emergency or Otherwise


Appointments' procedures for all non-immigrant visas are the same. This is from my personal experience in Nov 2005.

Step 1.
Make the two payments - either by DD or cash at the designated branch of HDFC bank. Take copy of passport along. Get receipt of the payment. There'll be a barcode sticker on the receipt which will also have the number which will be your receipt no. for all future references. This can be done by the individual applying for the visa or any representative but should carry the Passport copy of the individual travelling.

Step 2.
Wait for two days. Be patient, dont do this before 2 business days. Then go online to http://www.vfs-usa.co.in and click on "apply for a non-immigrant visa". Fill up all the details to create a new application. You will not see emergency dates, instead you will see the regular availabe dates only. If you are applying fir emergency situation, dont worry - complete the form(s) and at the end you'll see a button for "Emergency" application. Note that you must fall under the emergency appointments criteria which I am listing at the end of this posting. Choose the type of emergency and then you will see the earliest available EMERGENCY Dates.

Once you are done getting the dates, remember to fill the DS156, DS157, etc. forms online itself. Remember that for address on the forms give your permanent India address.

Step 3.
Fill out all the forms and gather documents. Note - these are documents for getting appointment and not the ones to take for the interview. These are:
a> Valid passport.
b> One photograph as per specification (note, mumbai's VFS has a photo booth inside the office so no need to get it done before hand although I'd advice to carry your copy)
c> Original signed form DS-156 (printout from the web) (remember to print this form back-to back on one page only)
d> Original form DS-157 (printout from the web)
e> Original form DS-158, if applicable (printout from the web)
f> Original, valid HDFC Bank visa fee receipt
g> Demand draft for Issuance Fee (has to be DD, no cash here)
h> Appointment letter (printout from the web)
This has to be done 5 days before the appointment

Step 4
Go to conulate for interview (do not carry any bags or any other stuff except your papers in a plastic bag.) Nothing digital NOT EVEN DIGITAL WATCHES (I had to give away mine to a stranger for fear of loosing my appointment)

Step 5
If approved pick up the passport the same evening at VFS center or get it in courier in a few days. I'd suggest if its so much an emergency, pickup personally, dont depend on the courier.

Step 6 Optional
Relax and have an ice-cream at a nice restaurant


NOTE these are steps for online processing. If you at anti-internet and want to do it personally then skip Step 2. Instead fill out the DS forms personally. Then in step 3 carry all these documents and personally go to VFS to schedule an appoint as well as submit the documents. Now here since you've not scheduled you appointment, you'll have to do this as early as possible.

(Dis)Advantages?? Not aware of but here's what happened to me. I scheduled my emergency appt. online and then went to VFS requesting an even earlier date and the person over the counter said that since I got the appt online, there's nothing that they can do. Now, I dont know and am not sure if had I schedules the appt. personally, would they have been able to help me out.

I'd suggest (and my personal suggestion) if you stay nearby ( say in and around Mumbai) do it personally, I feel that gives you more control - Probably. If its online I guess, it directly goes into system. BUT on the other hand online is clean, simple and less hassle.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Here are the Criteria for emergency appointment:
A. Medical Care: Purpose of travel is to obtain emergency medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for emergency medical care.
Essential documentation:
- A letter from the doctor in India describing the medical condition, such as the urgency of the need to travel and certifying that such care is not available in India.
- A letter from the physician or hospital in the United States indicating that they are prepared to treat the case, and providing the approximate cost of the treatment.
- Evidence of how one shall pay for the cost of the treatment.

B. Funeral/Death: Purpose of travel is to attend the funeral of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent or grandchild) in the United States.
Essential documentation:
- A letter from the funeral director stating the contact information and details of the deceased and date of the funeral
- Evidence that the deceased is an immediate relative

Please note: If the travel on account of Medical Care of Funeral/Death has to take place within the next 3 days, please e-mail ceamb@state.gov. and put "Medical Care" or "Funeral/Death" in the subject line

C. Business: Purpose of travel is to attend to a business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted sufficiently in advance.
Essential documentation, as applicable:
- A letter from a BEP member company with proper authorized signatures on file with the consular section.
- A letter of invitation from the corresponding company in the United States attesting to the urgency of the planned visit, describing the nature of the business and that either the US or Indian company will suffer a significant lost opportunity if an emergency appointment is not available.
- Evidence of a necessary training program in the United States of three months duration or less, to include letters from both the Indian employer and U.S. company providing the training.
- Contracts, letters of credit and/or other documents demonstrating a business relationship and a need to travel urgently.

D. Students and exchange Visitors who are within 90 days of their start date of a valid programme as indicated on their form, and who have not been refused a visa within the last six months can use the emergency/priority scheduling online.
Essential documentation:
- Form I-20 or DS-2019 indicating start date of programme within 90 days.

E. Workers. If you are already working in the U.S. and are returning to your job you can use the emergency/priority scheduling online.
IMPORTANT: Emergency appointments can only be given to first time applicants for an H or L visa if they are returning to continue their employment, for instance after a change of status to H or L while in the States. Dependents do not qualify for emergency scheduling unless applying at the same time as the principal.
Essential documentation:
- Evidence such as a previous visa, form I-797 or I-129 to demonstrate that they are returning to their previously authorized employment in the United States and proof that employment is authorized.

IMPORTANT:
Emergency appointments can NOT be given to travelers intending to attend a wedding or graduation ceremony, nor to first-time applicants for an H or L visa traveling to the States to START employment.

All the best,
Sarosh dara

For more information on this link click here
Name: saroshdara
Location: United States
Posted on: Aug 2, 2006  Email this link to friend(s)
2) Comments: Visitor's visa issued - Chennai
My in-laws have been issued visitor's visa on 28th at Chennai.

Some points:
* I have sent the sponsor documents.
* Advised them to take special care about arrangement and presentation of the papers
* I have sent two sets of originals/copies for them.
* Trained them on the possible questions and the answers.
*They are both around 70 years of age.
*This is their first interview and they have never visited any foreign country.

The questions they faced:
1. Why do you want to go? (To spend time with my daughter's family and to visit places)
2. Why do you want 6 months for this? (We want to visit as many places as we can as we may not make another trip)
3. Who is staying there?
4. Since how long?
5. How many children do you have?
6. Are you staying alone or with anyone?
7. What does your daughter do in US?
8. What does your son-in-law do?

The Consular officer looked at the documents sent by me very closely and seemed to be satisfied with them. They were issued the Visa.
Name: Raju595
Location: United States
Posted on: Mar 9, 2005  Email this link to friend(s)
3) Comments: My Mom-In- Law did not get her Tourist Visa because she did not carry a copy of my wife's passport with her. No Travel agent or Websites tells you about this requirement.
Name: Sayed
Location: PA, United States
Posted on: Mar 8, 2005  Email this link to friend(s)
4) Comments: Returned to US in 4wks after 6m stay.
I thought this info might benefit some people.
My FIL entered US end of July '04. His 6months stay expired end of Jan '05. Our request to extend the stay was denied and he left within 10days of receipt of that letter. But he returned in 4 wks from India (he left on Feb 6th '05, returned on March 3rd '05). At POE in Los Angeles, they questioned him, but finally gave him 6months stay on I-94. He has a multiple entry visa.
Name: Jaya_Siva
Location: United States
Posted on: Mar 7, 2005  Email this link to friend(s)
5) Comments: Visitor Visa Approved at Chennai

Hi All,
My mother got her visitor visa approved at Chennai Consulate. I'm also including the questions that they asked my Mom. The interpreter(requested for one) was already there in the cube with officer it seems.

1Q. Since how long your son is staying in US ?
A. 5 Years

2Q. Where is he staying?
A. YYYY City.

3Q. How many months you're planning to stay?
A. 6 months.

4Q. Did your son applied for Green Card?
A. Yes.

After that they told my mom that she'll receive the passport in couple of days at home address. The visa is for ten years.My mom took all property documents but they did not ask them it seems. Received the stamped passport the next day.

I sent my mother the following documents.

I-134
My passport copies
6 Months Pay stubs
Employment verification letter
My Bank Statement
My W2's
Covering Letter
Name: Orangecounty
Location: United States
Posted on: Mar 7, 2005  Email this link to friend(s)
6) Comments: Visitor Visa Extension Approved - Sample Letter and Docs

I am sharing the following info for all, i am sure it helps:

my parents came to US in mar2004, got 6 mon entry. 6-mo extn filed early aug, website showed approval late sept, approval letter recd early oct. they have come to US 2 times earlier (2000 for 1 month and late 2002 for 5 mo). Note that we sent photocopy of I-94, NOT the original.

DOCUMENTS SENT WITH APPLICATION:
3 LETTERS: 1 from my father requesting extn, 1 from me saying I will take them around and will support them, and 1 similar letter from my brother.
Notarized affidavit of support (Form I-134)
Employment Verification
Bank statements indicating availability of funds.
Recent pay-stubs
2003 W-2 and Tax return
Proof of property ownership (of my parents) in India (I THINK THIS IS THE KEY BECAUSE IT SHOWS TIES WITH INDIA.)
Copy of return ticket (valid for 1 yr)
Invitation letter from my younger son to visit the east coast of USA

TEXT OF THE LETTERS: "My parents have come to visit me and see various places of interest in USA. Due to my pre-occupation with the job commitments, I have not been able to take them to places outside of bay area such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Lake Tahoe, Grand Canyon, Reno and other places of interest in the neighboring states like Nevada and Oregon. To visit these places, my parents are dependent upon me due to the language constraint. As I work on a full-time basis, I am not able to take long vacation. So, I have to use weekends to accompany them to visit these places. Also, due to their age, my parents cannot visit all these places in a short period of time in a package tour, as it would be too constraining and hectic for them."

"We are culturally and emotionally very much tied to India. We also own property in India that we need to take care of. We assure you that we will leave the USA before the expiration of authorized stay".


For more information click here

Name: cooldesi78
Location: United States
Posted on: Nov 3, 2004  Email this link to friend(s)
7) Comments: test
Name: test
Location: United States
Posted on: Feb 9, 2004  Email this link to friend(s)
 
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